Bob Jones teacher wins Huntsville Orchestra award

Randall Fields, choral director at Bob Jones High School, has been named 2011 winner of the Harold J. Wilson Music Educator of the Year award. The award presented annually by the Huntsville Youth Orchestra honors a music teacher in Madison County who contributes to the music education of youth.

Fields has a long-standing reputation for leading high school choral programs. His choral groups include the Patriot Singers, Women’s Chorus, Men’s Chorus, Bel Canto and Show Choir.  He has an after-school choral group for those who wish to participate, but do not have time during the regular school schedules. In addition, Fields teaches piano keyboarding and is musical director and conductor for BJHS Musical Theatre productions. His choirs have won numerous national competitions, most recently winning the prestigious Choral Sweepstakes’ Award at Nationals in Atlanta.

Nominations are received from the public. This year’s nominees were from a mix of public school teachers. In alternate years, nominees come from those teachers who teach privately. The presentation was made Sunday, March 6, 2011 during a concert at First Baptist Church featuring winners of the HYO Annual Concerto Competition, and the Youth Symphony with the Huntsville Community Chorus performing Mozart’s Requiem Mass.

Bess Csar, who chaired the annual event for the Huntsville Youth Orchestra, said what set Fields apart were the heart-felt recommendations from his students, both current and past, who participated in different aspects of his program.

“Over and over again, they related what an impact he in made in their lives, how he encouraged them, helped them to believe in themselves, and prepared them for the future,” Csar said.

In the most recent years, Fields’ students have been given some amazing performance opportunities –competing in national competitions, performing at AMEA convention, singing with HSO in their performance of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony, and singing at Carnegie Hall under the direction of Randall Stroope. The choir has been invited back to Carnegie Hall after receiving top ratings in the prestigious Heritage Festivals.